Ontario. Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. Food Safety Systems Development Branch.

• Food Safety Systems Development Branch

• Food Safety Programs Branch

• Food Safety and Traceability Programs Branch

Since its establishment, the branch has been part of the Food Safety and Environment Division. Initially, it consisted of 3 units: the Enforcement and Compliance, Food Safety Animal Programs, and Food Safety Plant Programs. The structure continued to evolve over the years. By 2017 the branch consisted of Food Safety Programs, Regulatory Compliance Unit, Information Management Unit, and Program Coordination Unit (which coordinated traceability). Subsequently, other branch re-organizations occurred, and a Covid-19 unit was added temporarily in the 2020-2021 fiscal year. The branch continues to increase its emphasis on the use of science and technology to inform its work.

As of 2024, it includes the following units: Food Safety Programs Unit, Food Safety Science Unit, Monitoring and Analysis Unit, Program Coordination Unit, Regulatory Compliance Unit, and Compliance Modernization Office. In 2024, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs was split into two ministries. The branch is now a part of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness.

The Food Safety Systems Development Branch (also called the Food Safety Programs Branch and the Food Safety and Traceability Programs Branch) was created ca. 2006 as part of a major re-organization within the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs following the release of the Haines Report in July, 2004 which recommended ways to improve Ontario's food safety system. The purpose of the branch was to lead and coordinate traceability and Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) strategies and programs. The branch also delivered financial assistance programs for the food industry (i.e. Meat Plant Assistance Program); ensured province-wide investigation, compliance, and enforcement activities; and developed communications promoting food safety to industry and consumers.

Its role has remained fairly consistent over time, though it has increased in size and scope and developed in approach. As of 2024, it is described as a “strategic, program management arm with a mandate to provide leadership around a modern food safety program and regulatory framework, including a focus on regulatory burden reduction.” The group employs science and analytics to inform program and policy development, and evidence-based decisions.

The regulatory compliance activity involves helping industry to achieve and sustain compliance with agriculture and food legislation (e.g. The Food Safety and Quality Act, 2001), including education, inspection and enforcement.

The food safety activity promotes the adoption of food safety best practices by Ontario producers and processors through providing advice, training and resources when implementing preventive controls (Good Agricultural Practices, Good Manfacturing Practices and HACCP programs). The activity also supports development and delivery of cost share funding, regulatory programs and national food safety programs.

The ability of a business to "trace the source of each food supplied to them (one step back) and its next destination (one step forward)" allows for the quick investigation or removal of unsafe foods. The traceability and program support activities involve providing support and promoting food system traceability for business growth, risk management, and execution of ministry priorities. In particular, these activities support development and delivery of the division's regulatory and non-regulatory programs, traceability cost share funding, and national traceability initiatives.

RAD: Rules for Archival Description, 2nd edn (2008)

2026-11-16: migrated to AtoM

KWIC index 2006, Ontario Government telephone directories 2005-2006, INFO-GO directory, 2008-2024, Fact sheet: Traceability - inspection.canada.ca <https://inspection.canada.ca/en/food-safety-industry/toolkit-food-businesses/traceability

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